Mindful Consumption of Media: Propaganda in My Life
My experiences with propaganda are, I assume, similar to those of a large portion of the population. My considerations of propaganda did not extend much further than its historical context, a tactic perfected by Joseph Goebbels to spread hateful Nazi values. However, “understanding the term propaganda as mainly a reference to the practices of belligerent nations during wartime [...] can distance us from recognizing examples of manipulative public communication in our own time” (Jack, 8). Propaganda, and other variations of manipulative or influential communication is very much a part of our daily lives. This review of propaganda in my own life will examine the various forms propaganda that exist, the purposes that are served and consider how diverse perspectives might interpret the messages being broadcast by media today.
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Government and Politics
Perhaps the most familiar correlation one can make with propaganda today is its relationship with government and politics. Just this week Russia conducted military exercises (read more about it here), a form of propaganda intended to demonstrate its strength to the rest of the world. Propaganda, though, does not always come in such monumental displays. As a high school teacher I frequently encounter propaganda in the form of recruitment material intended to inspire students about to graduate to join the armed forces. Consider this Navy Recruitment Video. It is a persuasive campaign intended to link people with a specific feeling or attitude (Jack, 4). This powerful clip is designed to inspire youth to join a noble cause in protecting everything they value. However, as with all propaganda, perspective is important. While some may view this as a positive and empowering opportunity, others may contend that the video glorifies the military in a misleading way. While undoubtedly serving for a noble cause, there is great risk to serving in the military. Additionally, some might view this as a great opportunity for students who need help paying for college or obtaining a career, while others could maintain that the military is profiling and targeting youth of lower socioeconomic status. Despite the interpretation, this clear form of propaganda is one that I encounter frequently.
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Education
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As a K-12 educator, propaganda within our educational system is also something I encounter frequently, though I have rarely thought of it as propaganda. A prime example is found in this TIME article “Why Basic Coding Should be a Mandatory Class in Junior High”. The article advocates for the universal adoption of coding classes as it prepares students for life after school, not only developing basic computer programming skills but facilitating critical and logical thinking. One might question whether or not this article qualifies as propaganda but further examination will find that this is actually a prime example of ‘White Propaganda’ because the information it shares is from identified sources and is accurate, but selective. Additionally, the writer in this case is the president of a technology analysis firm in Silicon Valley and he quotes other leaders in the coding/technology world. Given his background his messaging is clearly intentional (though this is not necessarily a negative) and serves his own interests.
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Advocacy
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Given today’s social climate in the United States, advocacy is another area in which I frequently encounter propaganda. My recent experience, though, is that this form of propaganda could also closely relates to our political climate as well. An example of this that I encountered recently was a call to action released by the Union of Concerned Scientists found here. In this statement entitled ‘Trump Abandons Global Climate Agreement - What You Can Do’, the Union briefly reviews the harmful impact of Trump’s decision and provides a means for citizens to contact their local politicians and demand action. This particular example aligns with Neil Postman’s description of propaganda as it “is [an] intentionally designed communication that invites us to respond emotionally, immediately, and in an either-or manner”. Again, individual perspective dictates whether this message is a positive or negative one.
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Journalism and Public Relations
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According to Jacques Ellul, propaganda is “a form of information that panders to our insecurities and anxieties”, a definition I found very fitting when reading this CBS article on the recent Equifax data breach. In the title alone readers are urged to “Beware of these 3 scams”, drawing on the fear that many have related to the security of their personal information. While the source is valid, and the information seems accurate, the article is presumptuous and could promote fear or anxiety amongst susceptible individuals. Though other intentions are not as clear to me at this point, the headline and strong language certainly attract readers to the CBS website.
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Advertising and Entertainment
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In a world dominated by social media, advertising and entertainment propaganda are certainly the most frequent ones I come across. Due to its prevalence, this is the content that I am often most annoyed by and has the least impact on my beliefs and actions but although this is my experience, others are different.
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As a female I am hypersensitive to all of the advertisements that target our images from what our bodies should look like to what we should wear. This, in my opinion, provides the opportunity for companies to take advantage of many insecurities that women face. An example of propaganda that does just that is this video from a product called THRIVE by Le-Vel. The video claims that the product promotes a healthy lifestyle and weight loss and, not only that, but you could make a ton of money selling the product for them!!!
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The company promotes heavily on social media sites like Facebook and YouTube, taking advantage of the pay-per-click business model of the Internet (Holiday, 2012).
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Another propaganda medium that takes advantage of the social media platforms is the world of entertainment. While propaganda in this field can take on a variety of different forms, one particular example I’ve recently encountered is this Call of Duty video game commercial. Incorporating satire by poking fun at the current political climate (one newspaper headline noting that Canada has built a wall), it appeals to fed up individuals by using the tag line “Screw This, Let’s Go to Space”.
Although the main goal is to promote the new video game, the creators have a clear political message that might appeal to some viewers while potentially offending others. This again, emphasizes the importance of perception when evaluating propaganda.
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Propaganda Today
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As previously mentioned, considering propaganda in just its historical context restricts us from realizing the prevalence and impact of propaganda in our lives today. While the examples I have provided above are fairly harmless in their messaging and influence, that is certainly not always the case. Propaganda today is spread faster than ever before but as Ryan Holiday (2012) points out, the business model of the Internet is highly dependent upon traffic which is problematic as profit becomes more important than truth. Thus, the spread of harmful propaganda, including misinformation and disinformation, thrives. While not all propaganda is negative or harmful, as demonstrated above, “in today’s information environment, we may need to modify and qualify the terms we have, or find new metaphors and models that acknowledge the complexity and ambiguity of today’s problematic information” (Jack, 13). This understanding is critical to the development of a media literate society. Becoming critical consumers of media may be the only defense mechanism the general population has in regards to diminishing how we are influenced as well as restricting the spread of false information
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References
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America’s Navy. (n.d.). Around the World, Around the Clock -- Sea. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=jsE9IrMagCw.
Bajarin, Tim. Programming: Why Basic Coding Should Be Mandatory in Schools | Time.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2017, from http://time.com/2881453/programming-in-schools/.
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Call of Duty. (n.d.). Official Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare Live Action Trailer - “Screw It, Let’s Go To Space.” Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_87zvl0LcEg.
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Holiday, R. (2013). Trust me, I'm lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator. Penguin.
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Jack, Caroline (2017). Lexicon of Lies: Terms for Problematic Information. New York: Data and Society.
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Kristof, Kathy. Equifax data breach and credit freeze: Beware these 3 scams. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/equifax-data-breach-credit-freeze-phishing-other-scams/.
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Le-Vel Brands. (n.d.). What is the Experience? THRIVE 8 Week Experience. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Z6QWpvt9otA.
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Smith, Alex., Bishop, M. W., & Kube, C. (2017, September 14). Huge Russian war games seek to highlight NATO’s “cracks.” Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-plans-huge-zapad-2017-military-exercises-belarus-n788741.
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Union of Concerned Scientists. Trump Abandons Global Climate Agreement - What You Can Do. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://secure.ucsusa.org/onlineactions/wptUQtkf_kiO4yHnjMbL6g2?_ga=2.255930562.875437135.1505606463-1190989927.1505606463.
